Two decades ago, a seed was planted in the hearts of a small group of volunteers, and so they began to dream and plan. Their desire was to help the poor in Birmingham find ways out of poverty. Under the leadership of Gary Fenton, then pastor of Dawson Baptist Church, the group decided they would initiate their effort with a focus on the Woodlawn and Avondale communities. With generous guidance and support from several local churches, that group of dreamers launched M-POWER Ministries. It was then, as it remains now, an organization dedicated to addressing the needs of those stuck in generational poverty.